As automobiles evolved through the years, the interior of automobiles became increasingly improved to provide luxury, convenience, and comfort. One aspect of improvement to the interior of automobiles has been the construction of automobile seats.
While automobiles have served a specialized purposes in the past (e.g., pickup trucks were used mainly as work trucks, vans were used mainly to transport bulky objects, and sedans were mainly used to transport passengers), automobiles today serve multiple purposes. Minivans, sedans, SUVs, and various other types of automobiles are expected to transport passengers and large, bulky objects, as well as function as work vehicles.
Many times, the seats become a hindrance to the multiple functions a single vehicle must perform. Seats, of course, are a requirement in transporting passengers, but become obstacles when transporting large objects. Some seats fold down, but the result is still a non-uniform surface that may not be stable. A further problem is that the seats, when folded, take up much room in the passenger area, which can substantially limit the size of large objects the automobile can carry and transport.